On 3rd May the extremely severe tropical cyclone Fani (pronounced as ‘Foni’) made landfall in the east Indian state Odishi. It reached sustained maximum wind speeds of 185-195 km/h with gusts to 205 km/h on land. The Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) reported that it weakened moving north-noth-eastwards towards West Bengal and Bangladesh.

Sprites are more than just mythical creatures — they are an electrical phenomenon that occurs high above active thunderstorms at altitudes above 50km (30 miles).

Sprites are rarely observed, however when they do appear they are a large but faint, reddish-orange flash that is nearly impossible to witness with the naked eye. The phenomenon is best viewed at night and also from a distance of at least 150km away. Despite it being a challenge, sprites are best captured on camera using highly-sensitive equipment, and although difficult, it is not impossible as this image shows.

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